Triangulation

Hotflush; 2010

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When the numerous permutations of dubstep are discussed, Paul Rose (Scuba) is usually credited with steering the genre toward softer, more musical arrangements. Scuba has done this both through his own work and through his stewardship of the almost bulletproof Hotflush label, home to 2009's nominally dubstep breakouts by Mount Kimbie and Joy Orbison. On Triangulation, Scuba continues his label's thrilling run with a proper full-length of fluid, melodic dubstep that sounds beautiful and aggressive in equal measure.

If Scuba's name doesn't resonate quite like those of his labelmates, it's likely because through one full-length (2008's A Mutual Antipathy) and an armful of singles, Scuba has yet to stumble into one breakout track (his remix of his own "Hard Boiled", under his SCB moniker, came closest). Scuba tracks tend to fall into one of two camps: bass-heavy thumpers or slow, melodic cut-ups that often sound like dubstep's version of a ballad. Scuba's dance numbers have a tendency to lie in the weeds and lurk; where a song like "Hyph Mngo" sounds like a siren, Scuba's are the glue that hold a mix together. (See: DJ /rupture subtly weaving Scuba's "Braille Diving" into the second half of Uproot.)

This seamless construction defines Triangulation. What Scuba lacks as a dance hit-maker he makes up for with careful pacing and an ever-present tension between dark, tech-y sounds and inviting melodicism. These sorts of daring sleight-of-hand tricks are Scuba's specialty. "Before" sounds like Boards of Canada covering modern R&B, and it leads into "Tracers", a pounding, industrial-strength romp. "So You Think You're Special" plasters an echoing, hopeful loop ("Here you'll find the one/ Here in the sun") over ominous, pulsing bass. It's not a comedown so much as club music for those who never make it out of the apartment.

Had "dubstep" never entered the lexicon, it would be easy enough to label Triangulation house music, but without the implied build-ups or ecstasy. Triangulation ultimately falls into the dubstep camp because of its mood and temperament. By expertly juxtaposing the dark with the romantic, the hectic with the serene, Scuba's produced a triumphant, balanced album. It's also one that can feel too well adjusted. It's easy to hear parts of Triangulation as clay for bridging DJ sets or potent source material for remixers. But Triangulation is also worthy of attention in its own right, a cohesive record whose complications lurk just under its surface.